Map of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


Background: Disputed between France and Great Britain in the 18th century Saint Vincent was ceded to the latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in 1979.


top of page


Location: Caribbean, in the eastern Caribbean Sea about three-fourths of the way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total area total: 340 km²
Land: 340 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 84 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Terrain: volcanic, mountainous; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent

Elevation

Natural resources: negligible

Land use
Arable land: 38%
Permanent crops: 12%
Meadows and pastures: 6%
Forest and woodland: 41%
Other: 3%

Irrigated land: 10 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: subject to hurricanes; Soufriere volcano is a constant threat

Geography
Note: some islands of the Grenadines group are administered by Grenada


top of page


Population: 115,437 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 0.77% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)

Ethnic groups: black African descent, white, East Indian, Carib Indian

Languages: English, French patois

Religions: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.77% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 20.27 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 5.2 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: -7.4 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 17.2 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.28 years
Male: 70.77 years
Female: 73.84 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.08 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
Total population: 96%
Male: 96%
Female: 96%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form:

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Kingstown

Administrative divisions: 6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick

Dependent areas

Independence: 27 October 1979 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Constitution: 27 October 1979

Legal system: based on English common law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General David JACK (since 29 September 1989)
Head of government: Prime Minister James F. MITCHELL (since 30 July 1984); Deputy Prime Minister Allan C. CRUICKSHANK (since NA); note - governor general appoints leader of the majority party to position of prime minister

Legislative branch: Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Coast Guard
House of Assembly: elections last held 21 February 1994 (next to be held NA July 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total; 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators) NDP 10, MNU 2, SVLP 3

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO

Diplomatic representation
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Kingsley C.A. LAYNE
From the us chancery: 1717 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 102, Washington, DC 20,036
From the us telephone: (202) 462-7,806 or 7,846
From the us fax: (202) 462-7,807
From the us: no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)

Flag description: three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most important sector of the economy. The services sector, based mostly on a growing tourist industry, is also important. The government has been relatively unsuccessful at introducing new industries, and high unemployment rates of 35%-40% continue.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 6.5% (1992 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $2,000 (1992 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for 15% of GDP and 60% of labor force; provides bulk of exports; products - bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, hogs, goats; small fish catch used locally

Industries: food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Industrial production growth rate: 0% (1989; accounts for 8% of GDP

Labor force: 67,000 (1984 est.)
By occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 35%-40% (1992 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues:$62 million

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $77.5 million (f.o.b., 1992)
Commodities: bananas, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets
Partners: UK 54%, CARICOM 34%, US 10%

Imports: $118.6 million (f.o.b., 1992)
Commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels
Partners: US 36%, CARICOM 21%, UK 18%, Trinidad and Tobago 13%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $62.6 million (1992)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)


top of page


Electricity
Capacity: 16,600 kW
Production: 64 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 555 kWh (1992)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $NA, NA% of GDP

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 6
Usable: 6
With permanentsurface runways: 5
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 0
With runways 1220-2439 m: 1

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: 555 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,575,652 GRT/9,262,250 DWT, bulk 96, cargo 280, chemical tanker 13, combination bulk 12, combination ore/oil 2, container 31, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 1, multi-function large load carrier 1, oil tanker 56, passenger 2, passenger-cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 19, roll-on/roll-off cargo 26, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1
Note: China owns 5 ships, Croatia owns 58, Russia owns 16; a flag of convenience registry

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe